Failed OSHA oversight

Monday, June 22, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.

Under President George W. Bush’s administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration backed off strong enforcement efforts, preferring instead to “partner” with the companies it regulates.

The Voluntary Protection Program became the hallmark of OSHA in the Bush years. Created in the 1980s under Ronald Reagan, it blossomed under Bush. The program was perfect for conservatives catering to business interests because it eased regulatory oversight of companies with good safety records. Routine inspections were often skipped as the company was directed to work in cooperation with OSHA.

OSHA officials were supposed to vet applicants to make sure that only companies with the best safety records, and the fewest relative illnesses and injuries, were enrolled.

A Government Accountability Office report released Thursday found that the Bush administration allowed companies with poor safety records into the program and often didn’t kick out the companies that had serious injuries and safety violations. One of the companies in the program had three fatalities in separate accidents over a five-year period, yet remained in OSHA’s good graces. Similarly, another company was cited 10 times for serious violations.

The Bush administration set aggressive goals for enrolling companies in the program, and in that push, OSHA failed to provide real oversight. GAO investigators noted that there were 32 fatalities among 30 companies enrolled, yet program files didn’t contain information on those incidents.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chairwoman of a Senate subcommittee on employment and worker safety, called the situation “a recipe for disaster.” It was. The Bush administration let the fox rule the henhouse.

President Barack Obama’s administration has promised to revamp the agency and increase the focus on enforcement. That is a good start, but Congress needs to overhaul the agency and give it the laws and resources it needs to be effective.